POUGHKEEPSIE - While the City of Poughkeepsie is claiming to take the right steps to make streets safer for its residents this summer, many still believe the mayor is not living up to his promises.

Mayor John Tkazyik and Police Chief Ronald Knapp stood on the corner of Montgomery Street and South Avenue Friday to unveil a new sign with the phone numbers of the police department’s main and crime lines, with hopes that it will increase public participation in reporting and solving crimes.

“This is a first step to bringing crime to a halt here in the city,” said the mayor.  “We firmly believe that our residents play a big role in solving crimes here.  Just look at the recent murders in the city.  We used the help of the public in both crimes, and we want to see that effort increase.”

Knapp added, “This is not the only solution to the problem, but we feel it will help.”

First sign posted

Tkazyik listens to complaints from Downing

The news conference they called to show off the first new sign was interrupted by an upset resident who felt the city wasn’t doing enough to fight crime, and that the mayor’s campaign pledge to bring more officers has yet to be completed.

South Avenue Neighborhood Association member Laura Downing charged the police are being deployed in the wrong areas.

“They down on Route 9 on the incoming and the outgoing taking care of seatbelts, taking care of speeders. They belong in the city on the streets, on the bet,” she said. “Now, it’s up to you, mayor, and the council to get more officers for this department to cover our area. I am tired of the crime, the drugs; I’m fed up,” she told the mayor on the street.

Her adult daughter, Kat Wood, added, “My neighbors have been getting robbed.  What is seriously being done?” 

Tkazyik said more initiatives are on the way for the summer, and cited the budget as an indicator for what’s to come. 

“We are working with the police chief  to come up with a way to provide more police presence on the street,” he said “You will be seeing something coming out a little bit down the road as we look at the 2009 budget and how we can make some of those initiatives happen.” Tkazyik said this is “a first initiative. This is a first step to get more awareness out there in the community.”

Council members Joe Rich and Penny Lewis came to the aid of Tkazyik, concurring with the mayor about the budget crisis, and promised to do their best in putting more officers on the streets.

The Department of Public Works will be installing 150 of the anti-crime signs across the Poughkeepsie in the upcoming weeks.  Chief Knapp said parks, major intersections, and parking lots will be central targets for the signage.